Atletico Madrid would suffer more from losing head coach Diego Simeone than star forward Antoine Griezmann, according to CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin.

Barcelona and Manchester United are again being linked with a bid for the France international, who decided against leaving Atletico before the start of the season after the club were hit with a transfer ban by FIFA.

Gil Marin has made it clear they will not negotiate the sale of Griezmann until at least the end of the season and the club have already reported Barca to world football s governing body over what they consider to be an illegal approach for the player.

However, the chief executive believes the future of Simeone – who is under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano until 2020 – is more important than tha…

Simon Mignolet hailed Liverpool team-mate Divock Origi as fearless and believes the forward has a big future ahead of him. 

Origi scored a vital away goal for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp s side managed to secure a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in their Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday. 

Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers signed Origi in 2014 for a reported £10million but the Belgian was immediately loaned back to Lille, before linking up with the Merseyside club ahead of the 2015-16 season. 

The 20-year-old made his Premier League debut in a 3-1 loss to Manchester United in September and has since established himself as a regular under Klopp following a return from injury. 

Liverpool goalkeeper Mignolet praised Origi s efforts ag…

​Reading have sacked Nigel Adkins after their 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Birmingham City on Saturday left them 16th in the Championship.

The Berkshire club s form has dipped considerably since starting the season with only two defeats from the opening seven league matches and the thrashing at the weekend proved the final straw for Adkins tenure.

With only three wins since mid-September, Reading have tumbled down the table and are now 10 points off the play-off places.

Adkins described the loss at St Andrew s as very poor and very disappointing , but his determination to turn the club s fortunes around was not reciprocated by the Reading board, who have opted to terminate his contract with immediate effect.

The board of Reading Football Club have…

Mikel Arteta believes the arrival of Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal has already turned captain Martin Odegaard into a better and more influential player.

The Gunners preparations for the new season concluded in style on Saturday with a 6-0 thrashing of Sevilla at Emirates Stadium, with Jesus hat-trick coming alongside a double from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah s strike off the bench.

Jesus quick start to life in north London has been a huge talking point since his signing from Manchester City, with the Brazilian netting seven pre-season goals.

Odegaard, meanwhile, was named as Arsenal s permanent captain ahead of the win against Sevilla, and Arteta is confident the addition of Jesus will help the former Real Madrid playmaker hit new heights.

Gaby makes Odegaa…

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery insists he has no desire to play for France again, despite suggestions he had set his sights on a Euro 2016 spot.

The 33-year-old retired from international duty in 2014 but hinted earlier this year that he could be open to a return after regaining full fitness with the Bundesliga champions.

Head coach Didier Deschamps left Ribery out of the squad and reserve list for the finals in France and said this week there was no reason to overlook another player in favour of the winger.

Ribery, however, says his intention was never to force his way into the set-up and denied attempting to force Deschamps hand.

I never made an offer to Deschamps. That s why I don t understand his statements, he told Sport Bild. I only said that …

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has reiterated his desire to help Aleksandar Kolarov at the club.

After completing his 18-million-pound move from Lazio in 2010, the defender stepped up to become an integral part of the squad, but the following season saw him make just 12 league starts with Gael Clichy often preferred.

Inter and Juventus have both been linked with moves for the 26-year-old, however Mancini has dismissed these speculations as he still considers Kolarov part of his plans at the Etihad Stadium, despite the left-back s reduced playing time last season.

Kolarov? He is a great left-back and I would like to keep him, he told Sky Sport 24.

Mancini admitted that clubs are interested in Kolarov, and his other players, but believes that is …

Kieran Trippier accepts he does not deserve to be in England s squad for the Nations League Finals due to his poor Tottenham form.

Trippier was one of the stars of the 2018 World Cup, shining in the Three Lions run to the last four and opening the scoring in their semi-final loss to Croatia with a stunning free-kick.

But the right-back s performances have since dipped and he did not make the cut for Gareth Southgate s squad, with Kyle Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold preferred to battle it out for the right-back berth.

Trippier tasted further disappointment on Saturday when his Tottenham side lost to Liverpool in the final of the Champions League and the 28-year-old knows he has to improve.

If the manager selects me to play, I will always give everythin…

Fulham have completed the signing of German midfielder Thomas Eisfeld on an initial two-year deal from London neighbours Arsenal.

The 21-year-old featured just twice for Arsenal s first team, having arrived at the club from Borussia Dortmund as a youth prospect.

An attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, Eisfeld scored three times on Arsenal s close-season tours of Asia in 2012 and 2013 but failed to secure a regular spot at the Emirates Stadium.

He will link up with compatriot Felix Magath for Fulham s first season back in the second tier having signed a two-year contract that includes the option of a further 12 months.

Magath and Fulham have been busy in the transfer market since their drop from the top flight last season bringing in strikers Ross M…

Valencia s hopes of retaining their Spanish Cup trophy hang on a knife edge after they scraped a 3-2 home victory over Sevilla in their quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday.

Indeed victory may have come at a cost as Spanish international striker David Villa, having scored their opener in the fifth minute had to come off injured later in the first-half and be replaced by former Spanish international Fernando Morientes.

Sevilla rebounded in the second-half to take a 2-1 lead as first Luis Fabiano and then Adriano gave them the advantage, though, the latter s goal had an air of offside about it.

However, Valencia showed resilience by scoring twice in the last seven minutes through Ruben Baraja and then Juan Mata to take their slender advantage to Sevilla next…

Crystal Palace have rejected a bid worth up to £50 million from Manchester United for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, according to .

United have long been pursuing Wan-Bissaka as they look to persist with their newly established transfer policy of recruiting young British talent a description which perfectly fits the Palace defender. The 21-year-old has impressed during the 2018/19 season in the Premier League, and with Antonio Valencia gone and Ashley Young turning 34 next month, United are looking to boost their right defensive flank for the long run.

And it appears that it s not the amount of the bid that posed a problem for the Eagles, but rather its composition. United offered £35 million upfront, and £15 million in potential add-ons. With Wan-Bissaka s reputation on the …